Convertible cane and stool.



Patented Oct. 3!, I899.

C. s. SKOOG. 1 CONVERTIBLE CANE AND STOOL. U (Application filed June 12, 1897. Renewed Aug. 18, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l (No Model-J THE scams PEYERS ca. FHGTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTO No. 636,074. I Patented my 31i',=*i399.

c. G. SKOOG.

CONVERTIBLE CANE AND STOOL.

(Applicatiufi filed June 12; 1897. Renewed Aug. 18, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

22;?72 eJJJ 6.7/96; I a?" 4'00- UNITED STATES PATENT rErcE.

CONVERTIBLE CANE AND STOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,074, dated October 31, 1899. 7

Application filed June 12,1897. Renewed August 18, 1899. serial No. 727,702. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL G. SKooe, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the co'unty of Ramsey and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Canes and Stools; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to convertible canes and stools; and it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The preferredform of myinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views. I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cane constructed in accordance with my invention with the folding parts placed within the cane. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal'section taken on the line a 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the same line as Fig. 2, but with some parts broken away. Figs. 4: and 5 are transverse sections taken on the line 00 m of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view, with some parts broken away, showing one of the folding-stool legs. Fig. 7 is a View in right side elevation showing the parts opened or set up for use as a stool. Fig. Sis aplan view of the parts shown in Fig. 7. I Fig. 9 is a detail view, with some parts removed, showing the stool head or seat in its spread position, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the stool-head partially folded. Fig. 11 is a view in right side elevation and with some parts broken away showing the manner in which the leg-spreadin g wires are attached to asection of the cane.

The cane proper is made up of, as shown, four tubular telescopic sectionsa o, a a the top section a of which is largest in diameter and the other sections of which are sncces sively smaller toward the bottom. The said sections are preferably slightly tapered, so as to give a properly-tapered form to the cane. The head section a is provided at its upper end with an enlargement or-knob a, which serves as ahand-piece. The knob or enlargement a is recessed or provided with a seat in duced in cross-section.

its upper portion, which is adapted to receive a small box a The box a loosely telescopes into its seat within the knob a and is provided with a hinged cover a.

19 indicates a swiveled head which is swiveled within the upper end of the cane-section a by means of a pin or screw c, which works in an annular groove b in said head I). The swiveled head b is provided withan extension or stem b which projects outward of the canesection a. To the extension or stem 17 0f the swiveled head I) a folding seat, which is adapted to be folded much after the fashion of an umbrella, is attached. This seat comprises as follows: 6 indicates a multiplicity of toggle-levers which are hinged together to form a substantially circular rim for the seat when spread. 12 indicates tension-rods which are looselyhinged and pivoted to a flange on the extreme upper end of the extension or stem 12 and are also pivoted one to each joint which forms a connection between the toggle-levers b. 11 indicates a corresponding series of rods the inner ends of which are hinged to the stem or extension 5 just outward of the cane-section a and the outer ends of which rods b are provided with eyes N, which are adapted to slide on the corresponding rods 19". b indicatesacollarwhichis mounted to slide on the stem 1) between the points of attachment thereto of the folding rods 11 and b Another series of rods 1) is provided for causing the simultaneous buckling or folding of the toggle-levers b. The inner ends of these rods b are hinged to the sliding collar b and the outer ends of the same are pivoted one to the central joint of each toggle-lever b Preferably a loose ring 11 is attached to one of the joints between a pairof toggle-levers, as best shown in Fig. 8. When the seat is folded, as best shown in Fig. 2, this ring 19 may be slipped over the ends of the folded parts to securely hold the seat in its folded position.

0 indicates a rim or fertile-like head which is mounted 'to slide loosely within the canesection a, but is held from turning or rotating by means of a groove 0 on said head a, which works on a feather 0 secured longitu dinally of the interior of the cane-section a. The head 0 is provided with a depending hollow extension 0 which is considerably re- Three folding legs c are hinged at their upper ends to the lower portion of the sliding head 0, as shown at 0 These folding legs 0 are segmental in crosssection and when folded together around the reduced extension 0 are adapted to be telescopically inserted into the cane-section a. Spreading links or rods 0 limit the spreading or opening movements of the legs 0 These spreading rods or links are loosely hinged or connected to the lower end of the tubular extension 0 and at theirother ends they work freely through transverse flanges c at the lower extremities of said legs 0 but are provided with heads 0 at their extremities, which act as stops against flanges c to limit the spreading movements of said legs. The lower portions of the supportinglegs 0 are also connected by toggle-levers c". The intermediate joints of the toggle-levers c are pivotally connected to the lower ends of light rods 0 the upper ends of which rods 0 are conhected to a common ring o which is free to move vertically within the tubular extension 0 of the sliding head 0.

The cane-sections a and a are locked together, and the sliding head 0 is locked to said section a by means of a spring-latch of special construction. The cane-section a is provided just inward of the extremity of the swiveled head Z) with a transverse partition f, which is slotted at f.

f indicates the body of the latch, which body is provided with a projecting lock-finger f which projects inward through the slotf. The latch f is mounted for reciprocating movement on the outer face of the partition f by means of a slot-and-screw engagementf with said partition f. The outer end of the latch f is beveled or cam-shaped and works through a suitable seat in the wall of the cane-section a. Said latchf is under tension from a spring f to move outward. Vhen the cane-sections a and a are telescoped together, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the outer cam end of the latch f is thrown into engagement with the seat f, which is cut in the interior of the cane-section a. This cam seat or detent f is provided with an abrupt shoulder which prevents the movement of the section a and latch f in one direction and with an inclined side which permits the section a to be rotated in the other direction and acts upon the end of said latch f to cam it into an unlocking position, and thus disconnect or unlock the sections a and a The sliding head 0 is provided with a notch f into which the extremity of the lock-finger f is adapted to engage when the parts are in the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and

' 5. The sliding head a is thus locked to the cane-section a. It will be noted that the extremity of the latch-finger f is beveled or cam-shaped, so that when the head 0 is forced inward its engagement with said finger will cam the latch f f inward and cause the automatic engagement of said finger f with said notch f When the cane-section a is turned in the proper direction with respect to the cane-section a, the latch f f will be cammed inward, and the said parts a a and 0 will be unlocked, so that they may be drawn apart, as already indicated.

The sliding head 0 carries a spring-latch g, the nose of which works through a suitable passage in the side wall of the same and is adapted to enter a detent or notch g at the lower end of the cane-section a. The engagement of the projecting nose of the spring 9 serves to prevent the head 0 from being drawn out of the cane-section a. It will, however, be noted that the nose of the spring 9 is beveled or cam-shaped, so that it will be cammed out of the notch or detent 9 when the head a is forced inward.

The cane-sections a and a are normally held or locked together by a spring-latch h, carried by one of said parts and engageable with a notch or perforation in the other of said parts.

Within the lowercane-section a is mounted a folding fan 70. The lower end of the lowermost cane-section a is closed by a removable ferrule or cap at, which is removably secured in place, preferably bya bayonet-jointn, and, as shown, is provided with a rubber tip 11 Preferably the knob or head a at the upper end of the cane-section a is formed with an annular compartment 19, which is opened to the interior of the cane-section a through a series of perforations p and is provided with a filling 11 If desired, the portion b of the swiveled head I) may be adj ustably secured on the stem 19 by means of a pin b or otherwise.

When the cane is to be set up as a stool, the cane-section a should be turned on the section a to release or unlock the parts a a and head a, as already described. This having been done, the supporting-legs 0 should be drawn out of the cane-section a and spread or opened up, as illustrated in Fig. 8. The legs a normally project at their lower ends into the upper end of the cane-section a and are locked thereto by means of a spring-latch if on one of said legs 0 which normally engages a notch or perforation t in the upper portion of said cane-section o The nose of this spring-catch tis beveled in one direction, so that it may be disengaged from the notch 25 simply by pushing the cane-section 6 onto the folded legs 0 and then by turning the said parts slightly they may be separated or drawn apart. The upper section a of the cane may then be forced downward over the section a. This forces the folded parts of the seat out of said section a,and the seat may then be spread or opened up, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. The stool or seat is then ready for use.

The utility of a device of the character above described is thought to be obvious. It may be remarked, however, that the device will be found a great convenience to tourists ICC or, in general, to sight-seers. A small amount of change or any one of many other articles may be carried in the small cup 0, a in the head of the cane. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that when the parts are folded together within the cane there is sufficient room in which to place several cigars, for example.

It will of course be understood that various alterations in the specific details of construction above described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination with a cane, of a stool involving in its seat portion the connected series -of toggle-levers, the central stem or head, brace-rods connecting alternate joints of said toggle-levers with said central head or stem, and the intermediate series of rods connected to a common sliding part on said central stem and to the intermediate joints of said toggle-levers, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a cane constructed of a multiplicity of tubular telescopicallyconnected sections, of a stool involving in its seat portion the connected series of togglelevers b the central stem or head, the series of rods b connecting the joints of said togglelevers with said central head or stem, the

series of rods b hinged to said central stem or head and provided with eyes 6 Working on said rods b the sliding ring or collar 19 on said central head or stem, and the series of rods b connecting the intermediate joints of said toggle-levers b with said sliding ring or collar b substantially as described.

3. The combination witha cane made up of a multiplicity of tubular telescopicallyconnected sections, of a folding stool, the base of which involves the hinged and folding legs 0 connected by the toggle-levers 0 the rods a hinged to the sliding tube 0 and working through seats in the free ends of said legs 0 and the rods 0 connecting the togglelevers c with a common ring or part c, loosely mounted within said tubular extension 0 substantially as described.

4. In a cane, the combination with the sections 00 and a, provided respectively with the cam-notch f and slotted partition f f, of the sliding tubular head 0 with notch f, the spring-pressed latch f f operating as described, a folding base carried by said sliding head c and a folding seat insertible into said cane-section a, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination with a cane, of a stool involving in its seat portion a connected series of toggle-levers, the central stem or head, brace-rods connecting the alternate joints of said toggle-levers with said central head or stem, and the intermediate series of rods connected to a common part on said central stem and to the intermediate joints of said toggle-levers, whereby said toggle-levers may be simultaneously folded, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARL G. SKOOG.

Witnesses:

JAS. F. WILLIAMSON, LILLIAN C. ELMORE. 

